406-407
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Scott, commanding U. S. Army in Mexico, and advising him that Nicholas P. Trist, esq., has been commissioned by the President of the United States to proceed to the headquarters of the Army in Mexico, or to the naval squadron, for the purpose of receiving any proposal which the enemy may make for peace with the United States, and informing Maj. Gen. Scott as to the diplomatic powers with which Mr. Trist is clothed under his instructions.
Attention is invited to House Ex. Doc. No. 56, Thirtieth Congress, first session, " Correspondence between the Secretary of War and Generals Scott and Taylor, and between Gen. Scott and Mr. Trist," which contains all the information in possession of this Department on the subject.
Very respectfully,
Daniel S. Lamont,
Secretary of War.
Hon. John T. Morgan,
Chairman Committee on Foreign Affairs, U. S. Senate.
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[Confidential.]
War Department,
Washington, April 14,1847.
Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott
Commanding the Army of the United States, Mexico:
Sir: The signal successes which have attended our military operations since the commencement of the present war would seem to justify the expectation that Mexico will be disposed to offer fair terms of accommodation. With a view to a result so desirable, the President has commissioned Nicholas P. Trist, esquire, of the State Department, to proceed to your headquarters, or to the squadron, as to him may seem most convenient, and be in readiness to receive any proposal which the enemy may see fit to make for the restoration of peace.
Mr. Trist is clothed with such diplomatic powers as will authorize him to enter into arrangements with the Government of Mexico for the suspension of hostilities. Should he make known to you, in writing, that the contingency has occurred in consequence of which the President is willing that further active military operations should cease, you will regard such notice as a direction from the President to suspend them until further orders from this Department, unless continued or recommenced by the enemy; but, in so doing, you will not retire from any place you may occupy, or abstain from any change of position which you may deem necessary to the health or safety of the troops under your command, unless, on consultation with Mr. Trist, a change in the position of your forces should be deemed necessary to the success of the negotiation for peace. Until hostilities, as herein proposed, shall be intermitted, you will continue to carry on your operations with energy, and push your advantages as far as your means will enable you to do.
Mr. Trist is also the bearer of a dispatch to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Mexico, in reply to one addressed to the Secretary of State here. You will transmit that dispatch to the commander of the Mexican forces, with a request that it may be laid before his Government, at the same time giving information that Mr. Trist an officer from our Department for Foreign Aftairs, next in rank to its
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chief, is at your headquarters, or on board the squadron, as the case may be.
You will afford Mr. Trist all the accommodation and facilities in your power to enable him to accomplish the objects of his mission.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W.L. Marcy,
Secretary of War.
P. S.—Should a suspension of hostilities take place, you will lose no time in communicating the fact to Maj. Gen. Taylor.
V. Also the following treaty of reciprocity between the united states and hawaii, dated and signed the 20th of july. 1855, but which was not ratified by the senate.
[Confidential. Executive, No. 7. Special session.]
TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
March 9, 1857, on motion by Mr. Mason, referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations, and ordered to be printed in confidence for the use of the Senate.
The United States of America and His Majesty the King of the Hawaiian Islands, equally animated by the desire to strengthen and perpetuate the friendly relations which have heretofore uniformly existed between them, and to consolidate their commercial intercourse, have resolved to enter into a convention for commercial reciprocity. For this purpose the President of the United States of America has conferred full powers on William L. Marcy, Secretary of State, and His Majesty the King of the Hawaiian Islands has conferred like powers on the honorable William Little Lee, chancellor and chief justice of the supreme court of those islands, a member of his Hawaiian Majesty's privy council of state and cabinet, president of the board of land commissioners, and His Majesty's envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to the United States of America.
And the said plenipotentiaries, after having exchanged their full powers, which were found to be in due form, have agreed to the following articles:
Article I.
For and in consideration of the rights and privileges granted by His Majesty the King of the Hawaiian Islands in the next succeeding article of this convention, and as an equivalent therefor, the United States of America hereby agree to admit all the articles named in the following schedule, the same being the growth or produce of the Hawaiian Islands, into all the ports of the United States of America free of duty:
Schedule.
Muscovado, brown, clayed, and all other unrefined sugars.
Sirups of sugar; molasses.
Coffee; arrowroot.
Live stock and animals of all kinds.
Cotton, unmanufactured.
Seeds, and vegetables not preserved
Undried fruits not preserved.
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